Naming offspring --

A Christian acquaintance once asserted that superstition motivates parents to name their children after biblical personages, especially after Jesus.

I don't think superstition is the only motivation.

Timothy James was born to us a year before I studied The Pastorals in graduate school. He was purposely named after Paul's youthful protégé ... and the "epistle of straw".

Then in class, it was hinted that Paul's Timothy had been in danger of backsliding in his calling (1 Tim. 4:14). At this proposition, I was crestfallen, questioning whether I had placed my son under the patronage of a faithful disciple of Christ! My little Timmy is a terror, there's no doubt. He has his own drumbeat. At times, I think he could use another exorcism.

But I didn't learn my lesson, I just turned it up a notch. Our third child is named for Christ and His Twin, Christopher Thomas. A penchant for the two ends of the spiritual spectrum is evident.

If the opportunity to name another boy arises, I would use a favorite name, John Paul, but not for the reason you may think.

No, in fact the late pope is the reason I refrained from using the name because I know what it's like to grow up sharing the name of a well-known, religious person.

Instead, the name comes from Thomas Merton's The Seven Storey Mountain, the name of his younger brother who plays the role of Merton's alter ego, in a way: the one who remains in the world, goes to war and loses his life. Merton avoids a fate like his brother's by entering the monastery.

Until listening to this podcast, I could not come up with a decent middle name to go with John Paul besides George (John, Paul, George, Ringo, get it?). But, thanks to Fick&Oz, I know that Judas will be just perfect. The betrayer's name fits with my predilection for spiritual opposites. If only I had used it sooner ...

Thomas (Wiki)
Jude Thomas (Wiki)